Pages

June 10, 2012

The Greatest Sin: Ingratitude

I think the greatest sin, the mother of all sins -- not in so much as its apparent severity, but rather the sin from which so many other sins are born -- is ingratitude.

Are you familiar with The Seven Cardinal Sins? Colloquially, many people call them The Seven Deadly Sins. And with good reason.

Can you name them?

Envy.
Gluttony.
Greed.
Lust.
Pride.
Sloth.
Wrath.

I believe each of these sins stems in some way from just one: ingratitude.

ENVY: If you are ungrateful for what you have, then you envy what someone else has, because surely his or hers is better.

GLUTTONY: If you are ungrateful for what you have, then the taste of it is insufficient to satisfy your cravings, which increase in direct proportion to the amount you stuff into your gaping maw.

GREED: If you are ungrateful for what you have, then it's never enough and you yearn avariciously for more.

LUST: If you are ungrateful for what you have, then your eyes and your thoughts wander over to what your libido tells you are greener pastures.

PRIDE: If you are ungrateful for what you have, then what you have not only is too little, but beneath you, because clearly you deserve not only more, but better.

SLOTH: If you are ungrateful for what you have, then you are unwilling to lift even a finger to improve it, because even though it's so awful, it's lulled you into a level of comfort which would be uncomfortably disturbed should you rouse yourself to effort.

WRATH: If you are ungrateful for what you have, then you are stirred to wrath by the insufficiency, ineptitude, or injurious nature of those around you whose disruptions, demands, or delays apparently thwart your brilliantly laid out plan for your life.

See what I mean? Deadly, aren't they? And yet, not so far away for each of us.

But, fear not! For behold, I have a solution. Thankfully, the Catholic Church has gifted us with Seven Cardinal Virtues, which inversely correspond to these horrible vices. Cultivate these and you'll be out of the woods in no time!

No comments:

ST. ANTHONY, Help Me Find...

.

I'm a Catholic homeschooling wife and mother of six Lilliputians, the eldest of whom is adopted with severe special needs. We seek to know, love, and serve God in this world and be happy with Him forever in Heaven. C'mon along, y'all! When I'm not sitting with my feet up at the beach eating bon-bons, I create rosary wrap bracelets. The rosary is the only bracelet you'll ever need! Shop for yourself or a faith-friend at AveMomma.com today!

.

Morning Offering

Oh my God, in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer Thee the Precious Blood of Jesus from all the altars throughout the world, joining with it the offering of my every thought, word, and action of this day.

Oh my Jesus, I desire today to gain every indulgence and merit I can and I offer them, together with myself, to Mary Immaculate, that she may best apply them to the interests of Thy Sacred Heart. Precious Blood of Jesus, save us! Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us! Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

TODAY's TINY THOUGHT: Remember in homeschooling, not every day will be perfect, but every day will be blessed!

FATHER JOHN HARDON, S.J.:"Catholic homeschooling is the planned and organized teaching and training of children at home, for their peaceful and effective life in this world, and for their eternal salvation in the world to come."

TODAY'S DIVINE OFFICE

Click the books to pray today's readings for the Divine Office, the Liturgy of the Hours, the official prayers of the Church which consecrate our every hour in every circumstance to "prayer without ceasing."

Catholic Homeschooling

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

2221 The role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute. The right and the duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable.

2222 Parents must regard their children as children of God and respect them as human persons. Showing themselves obedient to the will of the Father in heaven, they educate their children to fulfill God's law.

2223 Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule. The home is well suited for education in the virtues.

2229 As those first responsible for the education of their children, parents have the right to choose a school for them which corresponds to their own convictions. This right is fundamental.